The Other Tales of a Gutsy Ninja: Book 1
by Veleria
Summary: Naruto always had to make his own family, it took hard work and he was never sure if was doing right in the first place. As turns out, making a family with an actual relative, doesn't really change that. But at least he wasn't the only one trying anymore.
1. When The Stranger Came To Town

_To the creators of 'Naruto' and 'Final Fantasy': Thank you for the entertainment, the inspiration and making me wonder. I really hope you don't sue._

Chapter 1: When the stranger came to town

Akaiko sighed with great conviction and shifted her head to rest in palm of her other hand as she slouched on the counter of the check-in booth. She peered out of the front gates and looked down the dirt path that led out of Konoha, hoping against hope that something, anything, was going to happen. Then she sighed some more.

"For Kami's sake Akaiko, this is bad enough without your moaning!" It seemed Takamaru, her partner, had reached his boiling point. Akaiko turned to face him.

"I was not moaning, and it's your fault we got stuck with the gate shift in the first place. So suck it up!" She snapped.

Takamaru turned away and she could tell he was biting his tongue, but she didn't really care just then. She was bored and the heat and the dust were making her itch under her chûnin vest something crazy. She'd probably buy him a round after their shift ended, but right now she didn't have the energy to give a crap.

She was just about to sigh again when something made her pause. First she felt it; a sort of rumbling reverberating in her chest, the feeling getting stronger little by little. She was about to tell Takamaru when he straightened in his seat.

"Do you hear that?" He asked.

She concentrated and then yes she did hear it, a sort of roar in the distance; like a great beast, only it wasn't pausing for breath.

* * *

"You're doing it wrong idiot." Uchiha Sasuke stated with great superiority, and just a little bit of scorn.

"Shut up jerk! Like you're such an expert!" Was Uzumaki Naruto's indignant counter.

It was incredible really, the way those two could turn a simple task, like painting a fence, into a grand contest of manhood.

"I'm not the one doing it wrong, dead-last."

Or as close as a pair of twelve-year-old's could get anyway.

"Well I'm not the one with an ass for a face!"

It seemed like such a good idea this morning.

"Obviously you haven't looked in a mirror lately."

Panting Old-lady Tokisho's fence: Simple, good for solidifying teamwork and building stamina.

"That's it! You're going down bastard!"

At least they were getting some sparring done, Hatake Kakashi mused behind the cover of the latest edition of 'Icha Icha', and then he turned to the third member of Team 7, Haruno Sakura, to see if there was an intervention on the way. Judging from her clenched fists and the steadily deepening scowl it wasn't far off, so he made himself comfortable once more in the blossoms and boughs of the sweetly scented peach tree and turned to chapter five.

* * *

It had been at least five minutes now, and the roar hadn't stopped yet, not for a second. It kept getting louder too. Akaiko shot a nervous glance to Takamaru and saw he was clutching a kunai, eyes fixated on the point where the dirt path disappeared into the dense forest that concealed the village. She sensed movement on the wall above the gate, another of her fellow shinobi had joined the other three already lured there by the strange sound.

A two man patrol suddenly dropped out of the canopy and on to the road, they ran through the gate and stopped in front of her.

"One person, riding some kind of machine, no hitai-ate, no obvious weapons." The report was short but had all the important bits, and Akaiko breathed out in relief. An engine, of course, that did make more sense than a monster. She nodded her understanding and the scouts jumped out of sight. She saw her partner slip his kunai back in place and, putting her weight on her elbows, leaned forward as far as she could go, exited to get her first look at this mysterious stranger.

Takamaru rolled his eyes and called her a child, but she only grinned at him before turning back to the road. When she suddenly tensed and stretched even further he couldn't help him-self and shot to his feet, leaning just far enough to get a look. Something black was zooming towards them, a cloud of dust blossoming behind it. The roar was getting loud enough to drown out conversation by the time he could make out the actual person straddling the thing.

It slowed down to a gentle stop in front of them and the roar turned into a rumbling purr, then quieted completely at a twist of the strangers hand. The silence left Takamaru's ears ringing. The stranger dismounted, his big leather boots thumping on the ground even though his steps weren't heavy and numerous buckles tinkled softly in response.

* * *

Strange was definitely the word, Takamaru thought to him-self as he gave the man a once-over. His pants were black and overly long, to the point where they were fastened to his boot with straps. He wore a sleeveless, knitted jumper, navy blue with a high collar and a zipper down the front. Leather bands cris-crossed his torso in an odd way and held in place a simple, black shoulder-guard on his left shoulder, scratched and scuffed by use. A silver fastening held it all together. His left arm was covered by a loose, black sleeve that was not the same material as the jumper, and his left leg was covered in a weird half-skirt of the same fabric, held up by a leather belt. Takamaru could only assume it was a half-assed attempt to conceal weapons.

He managed to register the brown leather gloves and bright blond hair before his partner decided to act.

"Hi!" She exclaimed and her tone nearly made him groan out loud. Great, she thought he was cute.

"Hello." The stranger replied softly as he came to a stop at the check-in, fingers combing road-dust out of his hair.

"That's a really impressive… uhm…" She paused, searching for the word as she looked behind him to the machine he rode in on.

"Motor-cycle." The stranger supplied helpfully. "Thank you."

He smiled a little, obviously proud of the thing and Takamaru couldn't blame him. All glossy black and shiny chrome and sleek curves that made it look _fast_ even when standing still. It looked like a predator and Takamaru was a lot more jealous than he was ready to admit.

"Is this The Village Hidden In The Leaves?" The stranger asked as he glanced around with obvious curiosity.

"You bet." Akaiko replied as she leaned forward on her elbows and gazed up at him through her long lashes. "Konohagakure no Sato. Konoha for short." She finished with a smile.

The stranger nodded and swallowed, all of a sudden apprehensive. There was a long and awkward moment as he seemed to be searching for a way to continue the conversation, until Takamaru decided to throw him a bone.

"Do you have any identification?" He asked, though lone travelers rarely did, nor was it really required in this case.

"No. Do I need that?"

"Probably not," Akaiko assured him. "So what's your name?"

"Cloud Strife." Takamaru resigned himself to filling out the forms.

"Wow, sounds exotic." She commented while Takamaru held in the urge to throw his pencil at her head. Cloud gave her an awkward smile and shuffled his feet a bit.

"So what brings you to Konoha? Business?" Her partner was silently relieved that she didn't add: or pleasure?

"I'm looking for someone…" He searched for the appropriate words for a moment. "Some family I might have here, but I'm not sure."

"Like a lost relative or something?" Takamaru asked.

"Exactly," He was about to say something else when Akaiko butted in.

"That is just too sweet," She gushed, making Takamaru roll his eyes before he could stop himself.

"Do you have a name? Chances are we know them." Akaiko offered. Cloud nodded in the affirmative.

"Namikaze."

* * *

_A/N: Just to warn you; this is my first chaptered story so I have no idea what the update rate will be, but I'm not all that busy so there's that._

_And I am, of course, dying to know what you think of this, so make my day and let me know?  
_


	2. Shock and Awe, But Mostly Shock

Chapter 2: Shock and Awe, but Mostly Shock

"Namikaze?" Cloud considered denying it for a second before nodding. The mere mention of the name had them both reeling back, eyes wide and scandalized, and Cloud couldn't help but imagine a number of atrocities his elusive relatives could have committed, in order to elicit a response like that.

The two guards looked at each other; the flirty woman with the strawberry hued hair shrugged and shook her head. The man scratched his head through the blue bandana he wore and spent a moment scrutinizing Cloud's face. He seemed to find what he was looking for and yelled to a couple of people standing on the wall.

"Hey! Come here and take over, we're taking this guy to see the Hokage!" Cloud considered escape as two men dropped from the top of the fifteen foot wall, landing without a sound. Neither of them seemed in a good mood. Cloud felt his good humor slipping away too, the word "Fireshadow" had an ominous ring to it and he had no desire to meet the person holding the title.

"You two better come straight back here." The taller of the two warned. The woman merely brushed them off with a: "Yeah, whatever." Before she grabbed Cloud by the elbow and led him into Konoha.

* * *

Cloud trudged down the busy street between the two shinobi guards, quietly soaking in the sights of the eclectic scenery. Small open stalls lined the street, squished together to fit and no two stalls seemed to sell the same things. He smelled sweat and flowers and fried food, and people dressed in bright colors were laughing and chatting and hawking wares all around him. Everything was colorful in a way he wasn't used to seeing, except maybe Aerith and her flowers. Despite his nervousness, Cloud smiled and enjoyed the atmosphere.

They turned a corner and Cloud caught sight of a looming mountain behind the village. He'd noticed it before but it wasn't until now that he realized, that four giant heads had been carved into the face of it. He almost asked about it but then remembered a more important question.

"What does the Hokage do?" He asked, dropping his gaze from the mountain to the female guard. She looked at him oddly but quickly switched to a friendly smile.

"He's the leader of the village, that's his face on the mountain by the way, the third from the right." She pointed.

"So those people were Hokages?" Cloud asked, feeling like a tourist.

"Yeah, and that guy," She moved her finger to point at the left-most face. "He was the Yondaime, the fourth, he was a legend!" She enthused. The other guard nodded and picked up the tale.

"He was called the "Yellow Flash of Konoha", once brought down a whole army of Iwa ninja." He said, with no small amount of pride.

"How?" The man smiled like he was hoping he'd ask.

"He developed an unbeatable technique, it allowed him to move so fast that no man, no shinobi, no matter how good, could ever hope to dodge him."

* * *

Takamaru gauged Cloud's reaction carefully. If he was putting on an act, then casually talking about the Yondaime might make him react, if subtly, giving them the upper hand. The look of skepticism and awe Cloud gave him, didn't really make Takamaru think he was acting though.

"How?"

"Who knows," Akaiko shrugged. "Nobody's been able to figure how he did it, or if he ever wrote it down." She continued, with the air of someone telling of ancient myths. Cloud looked doubtful, but despite his slight indignation, Takamaru decided to let it go as they turned another corner.

"You talk like he's dead but if he's the fourth, then isn't he the one you're taking me to see?" Cloud asked a moment later.

"He _is_ dead." Takamaru answered. "The third took up the post again after the Yondaime…" He was going to say "was killed", but it seemed like the wrong way to put it.

Before Cloud could press the issue Akaiko took over: "He gave his life to protect the village."

* * *

Her tone told him that this was a bad memory and not an old story, so Cloud simply nodded and let it go. He had enough bad memories of his own to know, that they wouldn't want him to ask.

They were approaching a tall, official looking tower; the entrance was flanked by a pair of guards in the same blue uniforms and tan flak jackets as his escorts. It was a good five stories tall at least, and the word "Fire" was written in large kanji near the top.

As they neared the entrance, he caught sound of an argument coming from the inside.

"This is all your fault bastard!" A child's voice accused. "Now we have to go shopping for the old hag too!"

"Now now Naruto, you shouldn't talk about clients like that." A man said jovially as he emerged from the building. He was wearing the same guard uniform, but had added a black mask that covered the lower half of his face. His hair was a shade of silver that gave Cloud and uncomfortable twinge, but it was chopped short enough to stick up behind a headband that covered his left eye.

He seemed very amused, and Cloud saw why when three children walked out behind him. They looked around eleven, he figured. One was a girl with bright pink hair, a red dress and a homicidal glare. It was directed at boy in an orange and blue jump-suit, his hair was blond and choppy and he had his arms crossed and sporting a spectacular pout. Walking behind them was a boy with dark, messy hair. His hands were in his pockets and his posture slouched.

Cloud smothered a smile when the blond kid glanced at him, his escorts were however, were not as polite. The woman to his left was shaking with silent giggles and the man to his right snorted loudly.

All three kids were covered in patches of bright blue paint, dirt and yellow flower petals sticking to it as it started to dry.

"Come on Kakashi-sensei! We're not even getting paid for it!" The boy, Naruto, complained.

"Of course we aren't Idiot," The girl snarled. "You completely trampled her flowerbed!"

"It was the ass-face who started it." Naruto defended, indicating the boy behind him. The boy merely scoffed at him and continued to ignore the two, the girl leaped to his defense.

"Don't call Sasuke names, you brat!" She yelled and whapped him over the head as they passed Cloud and his guards. Ill-concealed laughter followed them the whole way.

* * *

Cloud was led to the top floor of the tower, where one of the guards exchanged a few words with what appeared to be a secretary. The guard was then admitted into an adjacent room, leaving Cloud alone with the flirty one.

She wasn't flirting anymore though, and Cloud kept getting more and more nervous since he'd said that name. It was obviously well known but what worried him was why.

"Where they famous or something?" He asked. "The Namikazes I mean." He elaborated when the guard looked at him quizzically. Her eyes shot to the secretary, who hadn't reacted.

"The Hokage will explain." She replied shortly, and then turned away her gaze, ending the conversation.

* * *

Hiruzen Sarutobi, Sandaime Hokage of Konoha, carefully appraised the young man in front of him. If he was a spy, or more likely, a con-artist, then he was certainly a good one.

"You come from the eastern continents you say?" The Hokage asked.

"Yes Sir." He answered politely.

"That's a very dangerous journey, we're lucky to hear of even a single trade-ship making port in a year." The young man nodded.

"Yes, I had trouble even finding a sailor who knew how to get here." Hiruzen frowned.

"Why bother?" He asked. "What do you hope to gain?" Part of him was hopeful, the Hokage realized, it would mean so much to the boy. The young man shifted uncomfortably before taking a steadying breath.

"Curiosity I think." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "I've only ever had my mother really, though she died years ago." Hiruzen stayed silent.

"It's not that I'm alone or need a family, I have one back home." He assured. "My friends I mean." He hesitated, clearly not happy about exposing himself the way he was.

* * *

Cloud's gaze flickered across the old man in front of him; he was shrouded in white robes, his head covered by an odd triangular hat and veil that left only his face exposed. He was leaning back into a comfortable looking chair, puffing serenely on a long pipe, a heavy oak desk filling the space between them.

The Hokage had showed no reaction so far, good or bad. But he wasn't talking either and Cloud knew he wasn't getting out of this. So he took another breath and steeled himself.

"Sharing blood doesn't make you a family, but… "Cloud swallowed. "There's a bond there, something shared, yet… I don't know them." He looked the Hokage in the eye. "And it feels like I should."

The old man straightened and put down his pipe.

"There is a test we could do, one that would prove your claim." He said. "It would require a sample of your blood, if that's alright." Cloud nodded with relief.

"Good." The Hokage smiled. "I'll have someone escort you to the medical core right away; you'll be summoned in a couple of days when we have the result."

"Thank you Sir."

"One thing though," He warned. "I ask that you not mention the name Namikaze to anyone." He held up a hand to stall the question that had already been forming on Cloud's lips.

"I will explain if the test supports your claim, until then, I ask for your patience." Cloud was getting annoyed with all the secrecy, but he nodded his consent anyway.

He'd already come this far.

* * *

It was an hour after sunset, and the noise that filled the streets during the day had quieted down to a soft murmur of pleasant conversation and a clinking of porcelain, drifting from restaurants and bars. Paper lanterns and small twinkling lights on strings were glowing in the twilight and Cloud found that, this place was quite nice in the evenings too. Giving the blood-sample hadn't taken long, so he'd spent the rest of the day wandering around the village. He was considering going back to the sushi place he passed a little ways back or to whatever place was serving the barbecue he could smell in the air.

An embarrassed yell of: "Iruka-sensei!" Pulled Cloud out of his thoughts and he turned to the source of the sound. A man in the same uniform the guards had and a young boy were seated at the counter of a nearby food stall. It had an open front and stools along the length of the counter, behind that there was a small kitchen. The man was trying to placate the sulking boy, but he couldn't seem to stop laughing.

Cloud paused, he recognized the boy from earlier in the day. He still had little spots of blue in his hair… His bright blond hair. And now that Cloud took a good look, he noticed the sky-blue eyes as well. It was unlikely, and a stupid thought, he told himself. But he needed to eat anyway, and ramen did sound pretty good just then.

* * *

"I'm sorry Naruto." Iruka said when finally got his breathing under control. "But it was a little funny."

"You're lucky you're buying the ramen." Naruto threatened, before slurping in another mouthful of noodles. Iruka eyed the two already emptied bowls sitting next to Naruto.

"Yeah… Lucky." He mumbled sarcastically. He gave the boy a fond look then caught the eye of the proprietor, Teuchi, signaling for another bowl.

The sound of heavy boots on the wooden floor announced the arrival of another costumer. Iruka leaned back to look past Naruto with idle curiosity.

"Welcome to Ichiraku's, what can I get you?" Ayame, the proprietor's daughter, greeted cheerfully. He ordered the chicken ramen in a soft, almost shy voice and Ayame was quick to comply.

Iruka had seen his fair share of foreigners; he'd been on missions in at least three different countries. But despite the diversity of cultures in the Elemental nations, there was always a sense of shared origins between them. Iruka didn't sense that when he looked at this guy, though he couldn't quite put his finger on why that was.

Naruto caught him looking at the man and, in his usual show of subtlety, decided to make his own observations.

"You're dressed funny." He declared matter-of-factly, it took a moment before the newcomer realized that the comment was aimed at him.

"I am?" He asked and Iruka noticed that he looked a little startled.

"Yeah, I'll bet you're a foreigner." Naruto stated confidently. The man smiled and nodded, the kind gesture encouraging the boy further.

"Hah! I knew it! Bet you're a ninja too." This time he shook his head, still smiling. Naruto deflated a little.

"Oh." He said, sounding a little disappointed. The man smiled apologetically and turned back to his dinner. Naruto grimaced a little and tried again: "So what's your name?"

"Cloud Strife."

"Well nice to meet you mister Strife, I'm Naruto Uzumaki." He announced. "And you should remember that, 'cause I'm gonna be Hokage someday!"

"Really?" The man asked and immediately earned a gold star from Iruka, when the question came without a shred of either sarcasm or skepticism.

"You better believe it!" Naruto beamed at him.

The man smiled again, paid for his meal and wished them goodnight.

"That was fast." Iruka mumbled a little after he left.

"Yeah, he didn't even finish his ramen." Naruto noted.

And he was right, in fact, Iruka thought, it looked almost untouched. That was odd.

"Do you think I could have it?"

* * *

_

* * *

_

_A/N: The line breaks are killing me, please bear with me until I figure something out._

_To those of you wondering about the lack of honorifics and westernised terms of address; it's simply because I'd rather not use honorifics than mess them up. The westernised address simply makes the whole thing more cohesive (I hope)._

_So what do think?  
_


	3. At Journey's End

Chapter 3: At Journeys' End

Naruto frowned at his reflection in the bathroom mirror; blue paint still clung to his hair and under his fingernails, even though he'd showered four times since the day before yesterday. He tied on his hitai-ate and after a few moments of deliberation, decided that the blue headband matched his hair at least.

As he brushed his teeth, he wondered if he should try asking out Sakura again today. He spit into the sink and decided to wait until she'd gotten all the paint out, she was still pretty sore about it yesterday. Sasuke had been pretty bitchy too, he thought with a smile. And the _look_ on his face when Ino complimented him on his new hair style!

His snickering was interrupted by a knock on his door. The only one who ever came knocking was Iruka-sensei from the Academy, and he never came this early in the morning. He cautiously tip-toed to the door and looked out the peep-hole. He didn't recognize the woman outside, but the hitai-ate told him she was a ninja.

"Come on brat, I know you're in there!" She yelled suddenly, making him yelp and jump back.

"I have a message from the Hokage, now open the door so I can give it to you and get to my next mission already!" Naruto frowned; usually the old man would just pass a message to Kakashi or Iruka, or try and catch him when he was in the mission office.

Still frowning, he opened the door to the exasperated kunoichi, who informed him that he was to go to the Hokage's office immediately. She left before Naruto could ask her why so he merely sighed, slipped on is sandals, and went to ask the old man instead.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

"I assume the tests came in." Cloud said as he entered the Hokage's office. The old man ignored the rude greeting and nodded.

"They did, and it seems you do have family here." He answered cheerfully as Cloud took a seat. "A young boy named Naruto."

"Just one?" He muttered. Cloud was a little disappointed to be honest; in the back of his mind he had imagined a whole family. His mother's older sister who had run away from home, her husband and the unborn child she'd written home about.

The kid would have been older than him, old enough to have kids of his or her own.

The Hokage sobered quickly and stroked his gray goatee; Cloud figured it was a nervous habit.

"I'm afraid so mister Strife." He took a breath in the way people do when there is a lot to explain.

"His parents were Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki. They were good people and loyal shinobi of the Leaf. And they were both dear friends of mine." His faced twisted with old sadness and guilt. Cloud knew that look; it made him think of Vincent.

"What happened?" He asked, carefully stoic.

"Kushina died from complications caused by the labor. Minato died in battle on the same day." His eyes drifted to a portrait on the wall as he allowed Cloud a moment to let the information sink in.

Cloud followed his gaze, the portrait was obviously of Minato, he had the same blond hair, the same blue eyes and the set of his mouth the same as Cloud's mother. The picture hung to the right of three other portraits, all male with a commanding look. The one next to Minato's, Cloud realized, was of a younger Sarutobi and suddenly it hit him.

"He was the Fourth wasn't he?" The old man nodded and tugged at his goatee again.

"Yes, he was the most talented shinobi this village has ever had and he gave his life to protect it." Cloud couldn't help the small surge pride blooming in his chest, even as he silently cursed the fates.

"And this boy, Naruto, he has no other family?" He asked, still looking at the photograph.

"None, and quite frankly I'm glad you're here mister Strife." Cloud frowned; he wasn't going to like this.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Sakura was sulking. For a day that started out so well, it sure went south in a hurry. Naruto was nearly two hours late for their regular meet-up at the bridge this morning, though he still managed to beat Kakashi-sensei by ten minutes. That didn't bother her though, because it gave her nearly two hours alone with the dark, handsome and mysterious Sasuke Uchiha. The love her life.

So there they were, alone, together, on a red bridge spanning a cheerfully babbling brook, under the shade of a blossoming cherry three, watching the sun rise up from the horizon in a spectacle of red and orange hues. Her hair was perfect, _his_ hair was perfect. Everything was just right for a romantic confession.

She had leaned on the railing next to him, brushed stray pink locks behind her ears coyly. She had glanced at him and blushed prettily, biting her lip.

"Sasuke?" She had asked softly, and he had glanced at her too before replying: "Hm?"

And as far she could figure, this was the point where her day went the way of the migrating birds.

"I… like you a lot." She had almost had to push it out by force, but she'd done it at least.

Sasuke wasn't saying anything though, he hadn't even flinched and she had been kind of worried that he hadn't heard her, she had pushed on:

"Would you like to, maybe, go out sometime?" She had asked, her stomach churning all the while. "We could get something to eat or just go for a walk…or something?" Her voice had ended in something near a whisper.

He had turned to her slowly, looking into her eyes in a way that had stolen her breath.

"No." Just that: No.

He had then jumped into the cherry tree, disappearing in the pink blossoms, and Sakura had to stop herself from calling him a jerk or crying. She knew she would have to win him over, of course she did; she wasn't an idiot. And she knew he only acted so cold because he was hurting from losing his clan like that, but she had feelings too damnit!

Then she spent another hour and a half in uncomfortable silence with a freaking _cherry tree,_ before Naruto had finally shown up. And being the annoying brat that he was, he obviously had to be disgustingly cheerful too, just to top off her morning.

In fact, he was in an even better mood than usual. So much so, that her furious lecture on the importance of punctuality, (_"and shut up already!"_) with the accompanying bop on the head, didn't calm him down one bit. Plus he actually expected her to believe he had "an important meeting" with the Hokage. As if.

Naturally Kakashi-sensei found the whole thing amusing, once he showed up, telling her she should be more tolerant. _Naruto_ was the one who needed to be more tolerant! But apparently no-one was going to care about _her_ feelings today. Insensitive jerks!

And don't even get her started on this ridiculous mission…

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

"Naruto has very few friends in this village," the Hokage began with another of those deep breaths. "I truly hope you will be one of them mister Strife." His eyes bored into Cloud's.

"I intend to be." Cloud said, careful not to make any promises.

"I'm glad to hear that young man, trust me when I tell you: This boy deserves whatever recognition he gets." Cloud wanted to ask why, but the Hokage was already moving on.

"Now as for his name: It is vitally important that you reveal neither yours, nor Naruto's connection with Minato Namikaze." His eyes travelled back to the portrait again. "Minato was a great man, and as they tend to do, he managed to gather a great number of enemies. Iwa being the most noticeable." Cloud jaw dropped a bit.

"Iwa? As in the village?" The old man chuckled.

"Afraid so, and you could probably imagine what they might do, should they discover that their greatest enemy had a son." He gave Cloud a pointed look. "Or a cousin." Cloud nodded.

"Does the kid know?"

"No, he was named for his mother instead." So he'd be an Uzumaki then. He'd have to remember that- Wait a minute?

"I will tell him when he's ready." The old man said and took a moment to light his pipe. "I have however told him about you. I didn't think it prudent to spring it on him with you right next to him." He took a few puffs and Cloud decided to be relived about that decision, just in case the kid didn't want anything to do with him.

"He is out on a mission as we speak, but he should be back here at the tower around four, that's about an hour from now.

I promised to ask that you wait for him outside if you can, or leave a time and place that would be more convenient for you." The wry smile he gave Cloud suggested it wasn't Naruto's exact words.

"I'll wait outside." Cloud said as he rose from his chair. "Thank you for your help." He gave a short bow and left.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

This was not a ridiculous mission, no matter what Sakura said. It was an escort mission, those were standard fare and completely expected when you were a lowly gennin shinobi. The fact that it was only a two-hour trip was not completely ridiculous either; there was always a chance, however remote, that a traveler might run into a dangerous animal or highway robbers. And some clients preferred not to take that chance. Miniscule as it was.

Heck, he could even come to terms with the fact that they were escorting the ten-year-old daughter of a wealthy merchant, who couldn't possible have the stamina, dainty as she was, to be expected to walk at all. This of course meant that she would be traveling by horse, a horse, which for some reason, really didn't like him. And all so she could get singing lessons from an old harpy who used to perform for the Daimyo.

This was understandable actually, what irked him was that he had to be civil with the little brat.

"Oh Sasuke, would you pick that up for me?" Sasuke looked down just in time to avoid stepping on a green silk scarf, the same one she'd already dropped three times since they started the trip back to Konoha. By the way Naruto kept giggling every time he had to bend over, and Sakura's ever more audible growls, the girl was probably doing it on purpose.

Just a few more months, he told himself as he bent down to get the scarf _(giggle, growl),_ just a few more and then the chuunin exams would start. No more bottom-feeder D-ranked missions, no more pulling weeds, no more fences to paint or kid's parties to chaperone. But only if Kakashi let them enter, which he wouldn't if Sasuke smacked the dumb horse on the rear and let it gallop down the road, client in tow.

It was only getting more and more tempting though, considering they would also be the ones escorting her for the next month's worth of lessons. Plus they'd get back a lot faster too.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

This had to be the best day he ever had. First Sakura had spent all morning refusing to talk to Sasuke for some reason. Sure she didn't want to talk to him either but it was still progress. Then he spent all day in perpetual glee, as their new client, Yokoro, spent the entire trip batting her eyelashes at a fuming Sasuke and making him fetch. And he had family waiting for him back in Konoha.

Naruto's smile grew big and goofy the way it did every time he thought about that. Someone traveled all the way from the Eastern Continents, just to see _him_. And they were waiting for him to come home.

He wanted to laugh and hug something, he wanted to jump or run or just _move faster. _ Didn't they know he had somewhere important to be?

But they didn't, because he hadn't told anyone yet. For one thing; he had no idea how to broach the subject, it wasn't like long lost relatives was something that naturally came up over tea. Besides, he was a little scared of what his team-mates would say when he did tell them. It wasn't like either of them where known for holding their punches, at least not when it came to him.

Maybe they'd think he was being silly for looking forward to it, or say it wasn't anything special at all. But it felt special, it made _him_ feel special. What if they thought his uncle, or whatever, had wasted his time coming here? What if his uncle turned out to be a real loser?

…so what if he was? If he bothered to travel all the way here, he couldn't be all bad. But what if he thought Naruto was a loser? Sakura certainly thought so.

The happy grin had long since faded into a worried frown as they passed under the village gates, bouncy steps now a subdued shuffle as his thoughts circled every disastrous possibility his mind could come up with.

He didn't notice when they dropped off their client, until Sasuke let out an uncharacteristic: "Thank the Lord." Heartily echoed by Sakura. And when the Hokage's tower came into view, he had to stop and take a deep breath then slap his cheeks for good measure just to work up the nerve to keep walking. He would have been praying, if he'd had any idea what to pray for in the first place.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

He stopped when he finally saw him, and Naruto knew it was him. He was leaning against the wall of a high-end clothes shop to the right of the tower. Naruto swallowed and the man spotted him, then they just looked at each other for a while. Naruto was starting to wonder if he should walk over or not, when the man beat him to it.

The rest of Naruto's team came to a stop after a few feet and curiously watched. He sent a silent thank you to the heavens for not giving him a smelly drunk, like Tazuna, for an uncle at least. The man stopped in front of him and there was an awkward silence that made Naruto's toes itch.

"Hi." Naruto whispered.

"You Naruto?" The man ventured.

"Yeah." He answered, his courage bolstered a bit.

"I'm Cloud…" He looked away, like he was nervous. "Want to get something to eat?"

"Sure, but I have to turn in my mission report first." Naruto said, acutely aware of his team's eyes on them. "I promise I won't be long though." Cloud nodded.

"I'll wait." Naruto grinned and ran to his team, leading them into the tower.

"Who was that?" Sakura asked as soon as her sense of decorum would allow for snooping. The tone of her voice and Sasuke's sudden, if subtle, interest in the answer just made Naruto grin wider.

"That's my uncle Cloud."

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

* * *

_A/N: How do you like the pacing of this story? I've cut a lot of description so far, so as not to make it too heavy,_

_due to all the character introductions and exposition. But I have no clue really._

_Just let me know if I mess up too badly al-right?_

_Thanks :)  
_


	4. Picking a Path

Chapter 4: Picking a Path

"Since when do you have an uncle?" Sakura asked dubiously as Kakashi-sensei handed over their reports. Naruto only smiled mischievously and rolled his weight from heel to toe and back, until Sasuke started glaring at him in lieu of simply asking himself.

"Since this morning!" He chirped finally. "Are we done yet Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto glanced up towards his teacher, pleading eyes wide and nerves crawling back in his stomach. He received a cheerful nod and with a "See you tomorrow!", he was off and running, dodging questions from Sakura along the way.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Three minutes on the dot and the kid was standing in front of him again. There was another awkward pause and some studious not-eye contact before Cloud remembered that _he_ was supposed to be the adult here.

"So, know any good places to eat around here?" With a cringe he recalled using that on a girl once, when he was on leave from the army. That hadn't gone well either.

"Yeah! We should go to Ichiraku's, old man Teuchi makes the best ramen." His excited grin felt infectious.

"The place we met the day before yesterday?" Cloud asked. Naruto nodded quickly.

"Yeah, you remember the way?" Cloud shook his head. Ordering him to follow, the boy took off into the village streets at a fast walk. He spent the rest of the trip there briefing Cloud on the pros and cons of miso, beef, pork and chicken, the importance of topping choice and praising the quality of Teuchi's home-made noodles. Cloud was confused but entertained.

As promised, the ramen was good, and the proprietor's daughter was all smiles. Naruto was only too happy to talk about himself, his plants at home, favorite teacher at the academy and about being a ninja.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

"Wait, explain this chakra thing again."

"It's simple. It's this natural energy formed by the body and the mind, and when you put them together; you get chakra."

"And chakra can be… molded?"

"Yeah, you just have to concentrate _really _hard and feel it running inside your body, and then will it to do what you want. Hand-seals help a lot though."

"…Okay."

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Loud.

As Naruto dug into his second bowl of ramen, Cloud tried to find words that fit his new nephew. Loud was the first one; he spoke loudly, always a notch or two above the general murmur. His movements were loud too, even if just in the figurative sense. A squeak as he twisted on the stool, chopsticks clinking as they touched the china bowl, a foot restlessly tapping the counter. He even dressed loudly, nothing but bright colors. This kid did everything in his power to be noticed, and Cloud wondered why he felt he need to.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

"Oh, oh! And guess what?"

"What?"

"Tazuna named the bridge after me!"

"Seriously?"

"Uh huh- the Great Naruto Bridge!"

"Hmm, I like it. It's got a nice ring to it."

"I know, right?"

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Brave was another word that seemed to fit, if what he told about his trip to the Land of Wave was true. Cloud couldn't imagine doing stuff like that when he was twelve. Well, he had _imagined _going on grand adventures as a SOLDIER and becoming a hero as much as any boy his age from back home, but to actually do it? Heck, he doubted he could have ever inspired anyone like that. The boy liked to brag and had bad manners, but Cloud could feel himself warming to the kid. Of course it didn't hurt that he reminded him of Zack.

Eventually the conversation turned back to Cloud; about his mom, growing up in Nibelheim, and about joining the Shinra army.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

"So everything was ruled by this corporation? Sounds just like the guy from Wave."

"Mm."

"So was it a bad company, like in Wave too?"

"Very bad."

"But then why would you join their army then?"

"I didn't know at the time, but I left when I found out."

"Well that's good then."

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

By the time Naruto finished his third bowl, he was starting to feel pretty secure in his decision. He liked Cloud. He was cool, like Sasuke was cool but without acting like a bastard. He even liked ramen- nobody that liked Ichiraku's Ramen could be bad- and he'd promised to take Naruto riding on his motorcycle!

Whatever that was.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

"Your friend's a captain? What's he a captain of?"

"An airship, he-"

"Wait, wait, wait… Airship?"

"Yeah."

"As in…a ship that's in the air?"

"Yep."

"How… I mean what… It _flies_?"

"Pretty much."

"How?"

"I don't really know. Cid's the one who builds them."

"…Wow, you're braver than I thought!"

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

It was dark when the conversation finally tapered off into a comfortable silence. Cloud stretched his back out and enjoyed the soft trilling of birds and the sound of Teuchi puttering around the little kitchen. The air was starting to get chilly, and he figured he should send the kid home for tonight. He almost didn't want to; talking with Naruto had been so easy, much easier than any conversation he'd had in what felt like years. It probably was too.

It wasn't to be though, because as he turned to Naruto he found the kid fast asleep, head pillowed on his arm, right on the counter. Cloud chuckled and grabbed his elbow, shaking it gently.

"Naruto." He said, but all he got in reply was a few unintelligible grumbles and a snort.

"Naruto?" A little louder this time and a rougher shake. This made Naruto swing his arm out to wave him away, the movement unbalancing his already precarious seat and sending him toppling towards the ground. Cloud was up and had an arm round his shoulders before Naruto's butt had completely left his seat; this finally managed to wake him up.

Naruto blinked blearily until he could focus on Cloud's amused eyes. He regained his balance with a blush and embarrassed smile, then rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Behind him, Cloud flinched as a sudden pain shot down his left arm, but by the time Naruto turned around it was gone.

"Sorry about that," He scratched the back of his head and yawned. "Guess I'm a bit tired." Cloud shook his head and smiled.

"You better head home kid; I'll take you out on the bike tomorrow if you want."

"Awesome! I'll be off at the same time as today." Cloud figured that was a yes.

"Alright, I'll meet you at the tower then." Naruto was grinning and bouncing in excitement again, making Cloud feel oddly gratified.

"You got it! G'night Uncle Cloud, and thanks for dinner!" He yelled as he ran down the street, waving his hand in the air. Cloud sighed as he pulled out his wallet, wondering if he'd brought enough money for five bowls of ramen.

"Uncle Cloud huh?" He mumbled under his breath as he made his way to the inn. He smiled. "I'll bet you think it's hilarious, Zack."

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Naruto woke the next morning with a smile on his face and a happy bubble in his chest. The weather was as pleasant as it could get for a Konoha spring, with gentle breezes carrying the scents of new blooms and the sun filtering through the canopy of trees above, falling to the forest floor in golden rays. Birds sang high above and the entire forest seemed to be glowing with an emerald green.

Naruto was enchanted with the scene, and Yokoro, in her blue and white dress, almost looked regal as she swayed gently atop her horse. Like a princess in a fairytale- and he'd be the mysterious ninja, hired to protect her as she journeyed to be married off to an evil prince in a faraway land. Of course this ninja wouldn't want her to marry some jerk, so he'd have to make daring rescue or maybe they'd escape-

"NARUTO!"

The yell blasted through his daydream and made him jump a foot in the air with the shock. He spun to face Sakura but managed to trip over a tree root in the process, and by the time the last vestiges of his heroic battle left his mind's eye, he found himself staring at the shimmering green canopy above.

Suddenly Sakura was in his line of vision, one hand yanking him up by his collar, the other poised above for a strike, as she glared daggers at him. She wouldn't really do well as a princess, he mused, still not fully back in the real world. She'd be awesome for a team-up though.

"H-H-Hey, Sakura." He stammered nervously as he finally gathered his wits. "Something wrong?"

"Naruto, you _idiot_! You're _supposed_ to be paying attention the mission, and answer me when I'm talking to you!" She yelled, giving him a rough shake and a shove as she let go of his collar. Naruto breathed out in relief as she seemed to cool down a little. He picked himself up, and the five of them were on their way again.

"Heh, sorry Sakura. What were you saying?" She let out an exasperated breath and shot him a look.

"I said, what was all that about yesterday? Do you really have an uncle?"

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Sakura was dying to know. It had been an hour since they met up at the bridge and she really hadn't had the chance to ask about it yet. What with picking up the brat and deciding formations and getting the horse to go in a straight line...

And then she'd been worrying about how to broach the subject- getting gossip was a delicate matter after all. You had to get subject to feel at ease, not to mention gain their trust. Pinky swears usually did the trick for girls. It was a lot like interrogation, really.

But now she'd just lost her patience and subtleness was kind of lost on Naruto anyway.

"Yeah, his name's Cloud and he's from the Eastern Continents. He found this letter from his aunt, who ran away from home when she was young.

She wrote to his mom about how she'd ended up in Konoha and gotten married. " With glowing eyes he took another breath and kept going. "She also said she was pregnant and the Hokage believes her kid was one of my parents, but we don't know which one. He made Cloud take a blood test to make sure though.

Anyways, he used to be a soldier in this army, back where he came from, but then he found out that the people in charge were bad news, so he quit and started a delivery service until he came here."

'Well that was easy,' Sakura thought as she waited for him to pause so she could probe further.

"He says he knows how fight with a sword but he didn't even know what chakra was! I mean, who _doesn't_ know what chakra is? I explained it though and if he learns how to use it I bet he'd be an awesome fighter. He's also got this thing called a motorcycle and he's gonna take me riding on it when we get back to the village."

Sakura sighed as she realized this was going to take a while, but consoled herself with the thought that she would at least have _some_ entertainment for the road.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Cloud looked dejectedly into the carefully hidden pocket of his travel pack. Back when he had first decided to come find his family, he had scraped together as much gil as he could get his hands on. Even by selling a good portion of his materia, something which had pissed off Yuffie to no end, he was sure. He should have had enough to last for some time, long enough for his search at least.

However, between the port master in the Land of Tea, where he'd first made port, who had obviously been a little too generous with his fee when he exchanged Cloud's gil for ryo, and having to stay in inns and hotels, he was now running out of funds.

Sure, there was still a hefty amount of cash left, but another month's worth of rent in this inn and he'd be lucky to have enough for tomato soup. Which meant he had a choice to make.

If he left soon, he'd hopefully have just enough to make it home, and he'd already done what he came here to do. He'd found his family, spent time with them, and he could stay another week or so.

Or he could get a job and a real apartment, stay here for good and try to be a real family for Naruto.

He sank down on his futon with a tired sigh. He missed his friends and he wanted to go back, back to before, when they were still on the road chasing leads, chasing Sephiroth, terrible as it was. Back to before they started looking at him with those eyes. That's why he'd left; he just couldn't face eyes like that.

No-one here looked at him in that manner, and it felt like a great weight lifting from his shoulders. But he missed his friends and it had felt wrong to just leave.

He got up in an angry rush and went to turn on his shower. This was pointless. Wrong or not, he'd still left, and now there was this kid to consider. He stepped under the warm spray and let the water calm his mind for a bit.

Naruto needed someone, that much was obvious, and while he was far from the best choice, he was also the only choice from what he could tell. He'd done his friends wrong and he would have to deal with that. But if he did the same thing to this twelve-year-old, lonely kid…

He'd never be able to look anyone in the eye again. Besides, Naruto was the only thing left in his life that he hadn't completely messed up; he had to at least try.

He turned the water cold with a plan forming in his mind, and the first step meant getting a job.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

It was nearing three-thirty in the afternoon and Cloud was silently cussing out Aerith within his mind. He knew he had had this coming and he also knew it had to be her doing. Only she could be this helpful while completely embarrassing him in the process.

He'd spent all day wandering from one end of the village to the other. He'd been to every store, every merchant and every workshop he could find. He even went to the Hokage tower, but no-one needed a swordsman or a guard, or even so much as a babysitter. Most of the jobs he qualified for fell within "ninja territory" and nobody went against such a trusted and traditional workforce. Not in this village.

So there he was, at his wits end, when he noticed a little sign in the corner of a shop window:

_HELP WANTED:_

_20 hours a week, union standard pay._

_For cashier, stock-boy and delivery duties._

_All applicants welcome._

It was exactly what he needed, and he had to take it- but if Barrett ever found out, he promised Aerith, then Cloud was swan-diving into the first exposed part of the lifestream he found,_ so help him. _

And Zack had better not be snickering either!

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

_A/N: I'd like to take a moment to thank my new, if unofficial, seeing-eye-beta._

_Who nimbly steers me around even the most insidious plot-holes and_

_keeps me on safely on the path of believable character development._

_Let's hear it for Zarannya people!_

_And since I'm at it: Thank you reviewers, you keep me giddy all day._

_Let me now what you think.  
_


	5. A Gallant Steed

Chapter 5: A Gallant Steed

It was with a relieved breath that Cloud finally entered the small square in front of the tower. He'd had to run here after applying for his new job, but he was still about ten minutes late. He swept his eyes over the square before settling on a group of four, and made his way over to his nephew and his team.

A cheerful greeting of "Uncle Cloud!" brought the attention of the team squarely on him by the time he reached them.

"Sorry I'm late." He mumbled, trying not to fidget under the stares. Naruto was completely oblivious though as he barreled on.

"That's okay, Uncle Cloud; we were only just done anyway. Can we go see the motorcycle now? Can we?" He pleaded, hands clasped infront of him and bouncing on his heels. The man with the silver hair stepped forward and put a hand on Naruto's shoulder, effectively stilling him.

"Say, Naruto… aren't you going to introduce us?" He asked with a pleasant smile.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Kakashi had spent most of the day listening to the life story of Cloud Strife, as told by a twelve-year-old with a poor attention span. So naturally he expected some irregularities or even outright fabrications, Naruto was a braggart after all. But even if he took all that into consideration, there were still some things that hadn't sat right with him.

The most glaring inconsistency was Strife's so called, consequence-free desertion of the no-good army. True, it _was_ Naruto's version and maybe Strife was simply sparing him all of the gory details, but no ninja lasted as long as he did without developing at least a little healthy dose of paranoia.

And besides; his shinobi senses where tingling.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

"So you used to be in an army then?" Cloud shot the man a look.

After being properly introduced, Kakashi had invited himself, and as an effect the rest of them, along to see his motorcycle. This wouldn't really have bothered Cloud, except the jounin was starting to bug him.

"I did." He answered. The pink-haired girl, Sakura, kept blushing every time he glanced in her general direction.

"And now you have a delivery service?" The Sasuke kid seemed alright though, maybe a bit moody, but hormones will do that.

"Used to…it's a bit hard to keep my customers happy from here." Cloud was starting to find it harder and harder to keep up the chit-chat that Kakashi was so adamant to keep going.

"Right, of course. It's hard to picture though." Naruto stayed silent and two paces behind the rest of them the whole way. Cloud realized he used to do the same thing, back when he was travelling with AVALANCHE and they had just picked up another member.

"Hard to picture what?" He reminded himself that it was important to get along with Naruto's teacher, that this was a man his nephew looked up to.

"Oh, I was just trying to picture doing that myself. You know, quitting the ninja life and starting a business."

"Hn."

"Certainly something drastic would have to happen before _I_ could just up and quit." …Ok that was just blatant fishing.

"Guess you must like being a ninja." And a "screw you" for good measure.

"Guess so." He responded cheerfully, like he'd just won a bet, causing Cloud's jaw to clench in annoyance.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

He was jealous. Just this once, Sasuke would be willing to admit that; yes, he was absolutely green with envy.

As a ninja tool, the thing would be completely useless; it was loud and flashy and far too conspicuous. But _damn_ was it ever cool! And for the first time in his life, just for a second, he wanted to be Naruto. Just a little bit.

The embarrassing part was that Mister Strife noticed it; he actually suggested they find a time where they could all get a ride. Sasuke avoided showing a reaction- it was one thing to admit he was jealous, he wasn't about to admit it out loud. He didn't reject the idea either though, seeing as he really did want to get a ride on that motorcycle.

From the look of her, Sakura did too. Ever since Mister Strife showed up, she hadn't given Sasuke the googly eyes at all. It was ridiculous; the guy was like ten years older than her. But girls were absurd like that, and at least she wasn't hesitant about agreeing to Mister Strife's suggestion. So as long as Sasuke kept quiet, it would be considered a grudging acceptance that suited his pride just fine.

He was a little surprised that Naruto didn't kick up more of a fuss though; it would be just like him to try and hold this over their heads. But while he wasn't enthusiastic about the idea, he didn't fight it either. He was probably just acting nice for his new uncle. Idiot.

Sasuke watched the two of them roar out of the eastern gate before Kakashi shooed he and Sakura home. He thought about next week, when Cloud had promised to take the three of them out on the bike as he made his way to his favorite training field. Quietly smiling to himself, he figured Mister Strife was all right- for a civilian.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

A concerned frown marred the face of the Third Hokage as he turned the page of the report in his hands. A medic nin, stationed at the Medical Corps, had been found dead in her bed that morning from as of yet unknown causes. This was troubling enough, but when you added it to the second report on his desk, it became downright unnerving.

Just yesterday, the woman had filed a report concerning some odd findings in a sample she had been testing. Now the report was gone along with the sample. It didn't take a genius to see that the two incidents were related.

Now the question was: What exactly did she find in Cloud Strife's blood that would be worth enough to kill for?

And exactly who did the killing?

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Kakashi strolled leisurely through the park, hands in his pockets, as he considered the mystery that was Cloud Strife. Well, maybe mystery was a little over dramatic, he admitted to himself, but there was something weird about him. He sighed and looked for a peaceful spot where he could settle down in for an hour or two.

There were several reasons to be suspicious of Strife, Kakashi thought as he settled into a comfortable looking tree. He pulled out his favorite orange-covered book and started from page one, reading the words but not really seeing them.

For one thing; Strife moved with a perfect and well-trained balance, something not usually found in simple military grunts. Kakashi was briefly distracted by a couple of civilians as they passed underneath his tree; they seemed to be having a lover's spat. And there was something about his eyes, something besides the acute awareness usually seen in those with combat experience and the hint of coldness from the same.

It was… not anything he'd seen before. His eyes had almost seemed to be glowing, but from what sort of emotion Kakashi had no clue. He wasn't even sure it had anything to do with emotion- but whatever it was, it made Kakashi's skin crawl.

Still, it wasn't really enough to warrant all this suspicion, if you thought about it logically. Besides that glow, the man had been relatively easy to read. Strife was fond of Naruto, Kakashi was sure of it, and the Hokage would never have let him near the boy if he though Strife had been lying.

He briefly registered the words: "Chapter 2" on the top of the page he'd just turned as a squirrel darted past on the branch above. Strife had been very unwilling to talk about his army days, especially the events surrounding his… retirement? Resignation? Probably defection, all things considered. Or perhaps he was tossed out? It was a possibility, except that still left the "why?"

It was rare to hear much information about the Eastern Continents, as it usually came from the half drunken sailors that worked on the one or two trade ships brave enough to make the voyage every year. Most preferred not to get involved in "outside affairs", but a shinobi would always be there to buy a round for them whenever they made port, if only for principle's sake.

Kakashi figured he should be able to scrounge up the latest reports from the trade ship Strife had come in on; there might be the possibility that one or two of the sailors had some information on him. Either way, it couldn't hurt to get a sense of the place the man had come from. He turned back to page one in the hope of getting a few chapters in before dinner.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Sakura felt awful. She was supposed to be in love! She was _supposed_ to be his rock, his constant, faithful companion through life. The one person he could always count on.

People who were in love _did_ _not_ get crushes on other men at the same time, no matter how cute said man was. It wasn't like Sasuke wasn't cute too.

She let out a frustrated scream and threw herself onto her bed. She buried her face in her pillow and growled until she ran out of air and had to turn her head.

Compared to Cloud, Sasuke just seemed so… immature. And unlike Sasuke, Cloud had actually been nice to her. But it wasn't like she'd ever go out with him, even if she did have a snowball's chance in Suna. He was like _ten_ years older than her! It would be creepy and she wasn't really interested like that.

But it was a crush none the less and she'd promised Sasuke, in her mind anyway, that she would only ever have eyes for him. It had been an easy promise, because she was in love with Sasuke and people who were in love just didn't _get_ eyes for anyone else.

Right?

So did that mean she wasn't in love with Sasuke after all?

No! That was ridiculous- of course she was in love with Sasuke!

She screamed into the pillow and kicked her feet into the mattress just to distract herself from thinking for a bit. She turned her head to breathe and did her best to keep her mind clear for a few more minutes.

Suddenly, she smiled in relief as she remembered a conversation between her mother and one of their neighbors. The two women had been gossiping about some merchant who'd tried to hawk fake jewelry or something as Sakura had passed them in the living room. She'd gone to the kitchen for a glass of water when her mother had let out a scandalized: "That's horrible!", followed by bright laughter.

Suddenly interested, Sakura had gone to eavesdrop by the door.

"Oh come on, you know I love my husband, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate some good eye candy when I see it." The neighbor laughed.

"Besides, it's not every day a stud like that comes along, and you know what they say about those shinobi…"

Sakura knew the woman next door and she seemed like a genuinely good person, not the sort to be unfaithful to her husband. Her mother hadn't disagreed with her either, not really, and she _knew_ her mom wasn't that sort of person.

So maybe that was it? Cloud was just eye candy and Sakura was just appreciating the view. It made sense if you thought about it and it's not like there really was any harm in looking.

Besides, every girl knew that the best way to get a guy to ask her out was to make them jealous.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Finally finished with counting up the money in the register, Ino put away her apron and ran from the flower shop to the back door that connected to the Yamanaka residence. She grabbed a left over sandwich and told her mom she'd be back by dinner, before storming out.

She was ecstatic about her father's new employee. She'd been putting together a few bouquets to put at the front, for customers in a hurry, when the bell above the door rang.

He was handsome, _really_ handsome, and his clothes looked… exotic. He'd stood just inside the door like most male customers do when they have no clue what to do, so she was quick to make her way over. Ino, after all, knew how important good customer service was for repeat business.

Of course he was really there to apply for a job, which was even better. Her father had only put up the sign in the window this morning, it would be the first time someone outside the family would be working the store.

But with Ino being a ninja now, they had been a little short-handed and her father was already stressed from managing the store and his shinobi duties at the same time. So her father had made a snap decision and written out the little sign on the back of a delivery receipt and taped it up.

Ino watched him and the hopefully '_please_ _please_ _please'_ new employee, as her dad interwieved him for the job. It was probably a good thing the guy didn't know her old man was a professional interrogator for the Hokage, he seemed pretty nervous already.

But Ino had been pretty sure he was going to get it anyway, her father had always been a little bit self-conscious about the flower shop. He loved the store and he an interest in plants, but it wasn't exactly the manliest thing in the world. So the fact that the handsome man with the exotic style was a _man_ would make her dad see him as a kindred spirit or whatever.

It also helped that he was the only applicant so far.

So yeah, he got the job and would be coming in 6 days a week, tend the register and help out back for a few hours and do deliveries when needed. Her dad even said he could eat lunch with the family when working. They all gathered for it anyway and her old man was too sentimental to let him eat alone in the back.

All in all, the prospects of being around a stud like that every day, called for some serious bragging and that's what Ino was going to do.

Sakura was gonna be _so_ jealous.

It was like a freaking fairy tale or something. From what Ino overheard, he was from somewhere really far away and came to find someone- probably a lost love, then decided to settle down in Konoha. She could tell he moved like a ninja or a samurai, but he certainly didn't dress like one, which could mean he was a missing nin. Ino didn't think so, but it lent an air of danger to the already mysterious Cloud Strife.

And that was another thing, the name. Cloud Strife. It was so odd he _had_ to be making it up, so maybe he was on the run from something. A run-away samurai- or ninja, living under an assumed name and working in a flower shop, in the hopes of finding the one that got away; it sounded so romantic.

She should go find Hinata too, she always loved that stuff.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

* * *

_A/N: Once again thank you Zarannya, for taking the time beta and stroke my fragile ego._

_I encourage my reader to check out my profile for information on the cannon I'm using in this story,_

_as it would take too much space to write here. _

_I will do my best to make it obvious in the story it self though, but I can't promise anything._

_I'd love to know what you think of it so far.  
_


	6. Clash of Wills

Chapter 6: Clash of Wills

"Naruto! Sit your ass down!" Cloud really didn't mean to swear at the boy, but they were going at least eighty kilometers per hour. Naruto, who had been standing on the back of the bike for some reason, quickly plopped down and grabbed hold of Cloud. The new, harsher tone was obviously a shock to him.

"Sorry Uncle Cloud." He mumbled into Cloud's back, making him squirm with guilt.

"It's alright kid, I just didn't want you to fall off." He said kindly, slowing down and coming to stop at the edge of a lake, gravel and dirt crunching under the wheels.

They'd stumbled on a beautiful piece of scenery, a still and clear blue lake banked by soft green grass, all nested underneath impossibly tall, spring green trees. Naruto had been the one to spot the small path that veered off the main road and, feeling adventurous, Cloud had turned onto it even though they'd already been driving for over an hour.

"What were you standing up for anyway?" He asked, careful to keep the still lingering fear and adrenalin out of his voice. Naruto scuffed a toe in the dirt and refused to look in his eyes.

"Because it felt like flying and I wasn't gonna fall off." He looked up, confident but pleading. "I was using chakra to stick my feet to the bike and I _am_ a ninja you know. It's not like I would've hurt myself." Cloud closed his eyes and took a calming breath. The kid did have a point; he wasn't like Marlene or that orphan Denzel that Tifa had taken in. He had proper combat training, even battle experience, but as for the chakra thing…

"That might be true Naruto, but I have yet to see any proof of that. I'm not saying I don't believe you," He said, raising a hand to stop the impending tantrum. "But lots of people have died from motorcycle accidents and I'm not about to take any chances." He locked onto Naruto with a firm glare before he continued.

"So until you promise me that you will keep your butt in the seat and hang on to me at all times, I'm not letting you back on this bike."

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Naruto squirmed under his uncle's hard stare, yet even though he felt guilty, there was a little spot of warmth in his belly. It was the same warmth as when Iruka asked him if he'd remembered to eat breakfast or when Sasuke called him an idiot and told him to stop training already.

Cloud was worried about him and it felt nice. But he was a little bothered about the situation too.

"Well?" Cloud asked him sternly.

"Okay I promise." Cloud softened and smiled. "But I want a chance to prove I can handle myself." Naruto continued before Cloud could respond. His uncle stiffened again and went back to glaring.

"I'm not letting you stand on the bike Naruto." He repeated.

"But I can prove it!" Naruto starting to lose his temper, the small irritation quickly turning into a stinging hurt that he couldn't identify. "I'm _not_ just some dumb little kid!"

Cloud seemed taken aback at the sudden hostility; it didn't make him back down though.

"I never said you were Naruto; I just don't want you to get hurt." He reasoned. Naruto knew that tone, though he hadn't heard it often. It was so condescending and it just made Naruto frustrated. Frustrated and angry.

"I _told_ you: I'm not gonna hurt myself!" He yelled, stomping his foot in an effort to make Cloud listen. "Just let me-"

"I don't care." Cloud interrupted. "My bike, my rules, and you can follow them or you can walk home." Cloud was getting angry too and if Naruto hadn't been so incensed, he might have cared about that. Why wouldn't he just listen? Why did nobody ever listen?

"_Screw your rules!" _He was practically screaming now, face beet red and his breath coming in harsh bursts. "You won't even let me prove it! Nobody _ever_ believes me, but I'm gonna prove it! I'll prove I can stand on that _stupid_ bike _and_ that I can be Hokage! I don't care _what_ you say!"

Naruto knew he was crying, he couldn't help it, he was just so frustrated and it hurt. It was true that no one really thought he could be Hokage, maybe except Iruka-sensei. He didn't like it but he could deal with that- he knew he'd prove them wrong in the end. But Cloud was different.

Cloud was family and family was supposed to believe in you, Naruto thought. But maybe he'd been wrong; it wasn't like he had any experience on the subject. Maybe Cloud just didn't count as family any more than his team did, and that thought hurt too.

He didn't notice the way his uncle seemed to wilt a little, then tense with sad realization.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

The two of them just stared at each other for a while, Naruto trying to stall the tears streaking down his cheeks and wiping his runny nose on his sleeve.

Cloud, who hadn't moved a millimeter during Naruto's raging diatribe, nodded once and went to grab a bottle of water and a rag from a small compartment in the bike. He felt like such an idiot.

He knew he's messed up somehow, and while he had no idea where exactly he'd miss-stepped, he did realize what the kid needed right now.

"Alright Naruto," He said as he handed him the rag to dry his eyes. "I'll let you prove you can handle standing on the bike or even falling off." He said softly. Naruto started and looked at him.

"You will?" Cloud nodded then cringed as Naruto let a shrill whoop of victory. He offered the water but was waved off.

"But I'll warn you… I won't be going easy on you." He walked back to his bike and pushed a button on the handle. To Naruto's great shock, two compartments on either side shot open with a hiss and clank. Inside were swords, a lot of them, handles facing up and ready to be pulled out at a moment's notice.

It was badass to be sure, but Naruto was not so easily cowed. He did feel a little apprehensive though, when Cloud pulled out a blade that was nearly half his length and almost as long as Naruto was tall. It was wide, but tapered into a wicked sharp point with an oddly shaped guard and pommel. It looked sort of like a piece of a gear from an old clock.

"You and I are going to spar and I expect you not to hold back." He swung the sword a few times, and then walked down on the wide strip of grass that stretched around the lake. Naruto followed behind him, grinning in anticipation despite his nervousness.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Cloud was pretty sure this was a bad idea; he just didn't know what else to do. What he really wanted to do, was tell his nephew that he was sorry and that of course he believed in him, but that wasn't really an option at this point.

For one thing; he didn't actually believe Naruto could do what he said, the standing on is bike thing at least, and if he lied and said he did, Naruto would expect to be allowed to do it. Which just wasn't happening. And somehow he doubted Naruto would buy it anyway.

He wished Tifa was here; she wouldn't have let him mess up in the first place and she was a lot better with kids.

"I need to see what this chakra can do, so give me everything you've got." He ordered and held out his sword as he took his stance. Naruto smirked and took a stance of his own; Cloud noted that it was unusually low to the ground, something that took advantage of the kid's lack of height.

"Ha! I'm gonna make you regret you said that Uncle Cloud, believe it!" Cloud smirked at this and held it as Naruto brought his hands together in front of him, two fingers on each hand forming a cross. A cry of: "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" preceded a great cloud of smoke and when it lifted; all Cloud could think, as the smirk gave way to pure shock, was that now he _knew_ this was a bad idea.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

At least three dozen Narutos had appeared out of the blue and now surrounded his uncle. It was Naruto's turn to smirk as he saw how uncertain Cloud had suddenly become. He didn't doubt that he'd win the spar; however talented his uncle might be with the sword, he was no ninja and he knew nothing of chakra. It was about time he learned.

With a shout of aggression, the mob of Narutos descended upon the hapless swordsman.

Cloud was apprehensive at first, not knowing what the clones really were, so the first few were merely blocked, then thrown to the side. But soon his uncle started catching on and blocks gave way to punches and kicks. He still wasn't using the blade though, Naruto noticed from his tree-top perch, only striking with the pummel or blocking with the flat of the blade.

He was fast though, real fast, and so far none of the clones had managed to land a hit. Naruto decided to step up the game; he was going to make sure Cloud would take him seriously from now on.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Cloud held back his punch a bit as he aimed it at the last Naruto, but was mildly surprised and just a little proud, when it too dissolved into smoke. His nephew hadn't even joined the fight yet. Smart kid.

A soft hiss alerted him just in time to avoid a shuriken aimed at his right shoulder, and then another aimed at his left thigh. Dozens more came flying out of the trees in quick succession and he was leaping, dodging and spinning his blade into one defensive position after another, trying not to give too much ground.

As soon as Cloud sensed a pause in the barrage of projectiles, he decided it was time to go on the offensive and darted toward the trees. When he neared the tree-line, the shuriken stopped coming and knowing what that probably meant, Cloud smiled in anticipation.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Naruto watched as his uncle passed the tree-line with cautious steps, and wondered briefly why the man wasn't trying to hide. Oh right, he wasn't a ninja. The boy smirked again moved silently into position.

He fisted his hands and tensed his muscles to avoid fidgeting or bouncing with impatience as Cloud slowly neared his hastily, but carefully prepared trap. Just a few more steps and his uncle would be hanging upside down and surrounded by clones, ready to surrender.

He almost laughed as Cloud was yanked off his feet by his ankle, head rebounding off the forest floor before he was suddenly suspended four meters above the ground. Naruto waited for his clones to step into view, all aiming kunai at the man, before he jumped onto a branch in front of his unfortunate uncle.

He tried not to laugh too hard as Cloud spun in slow circles, arms hanging down in defeat.

"That all you got Uncle Cloud? I haven't even broken a sweat." He taunted, his voice still ringing with laughter.

Another slow turn had Cloud facing him again and his expression stilled Naruto's laughter in a heartbeat. The slow smile and wicked gleam in his eyes made Naruto suspect that maybe he was the one who'd stepped into a trap.

"There you are." He stated simply.

Then Cloud _moved._ A flash of steel and the string was cut, a kick to the tree-trunk and he was flying towards a group of clones on a nearby branch, another flash and another kick and the clones were gone along with Cloud.

Naruto tried to keep an eye on him, something to aim a kunai at. But all he could catch was the hollow _poofs_ and dispersing smoke Cloud left in his wake. After no more than five seconds had passed before Naruto felt a presence behind him, but he had no time to dodge the arm that grabbed him around the shoulders or the sword tip pressing gently into his chin.

"Gotcha." Said a soft spoken voice in his ear.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

It took a moment for Naruto to catch up to the last few seconds, but when he did he noticed that Cloud had forgotten something.

"You know, you just made a rookie mistake Uncle Cloud." He informed his captor. "Wanna know what it is?" He asked as he inched his hands together.

"What mistake would that be?" Cloud asked carefully. Naruto grinned despite himself.

"You forgot to watch my hands." Cloud tightened his grip but it was too late. With a cry of "Replace!" and a poof of smoke and he was suddenly holding not Naruto, but a half-rotten log of wood. He quickly let it drop and scanned his surroundings. _Tricky_ kid.

Naruto, sneaking on the balls of his feet up the trunk of the tree behind him, thought how awesome it would be to get the drop on Cloud the same way that the swordsman had gotten the drop on him. Once he'd snuck as close as he dared, he pulled out a kunai and leaped at the unsuspecting man.

Said unsuspecting man turned at the last second and grabbed Naruto out of the air, had him face first into the rough bark of the trunk and his hands behind his back in an iron grip before he could even so much as blink.

"Thanks for the tip kid." Cloud drawled and despite how much Naruto struggled, the hands on his shoulder and around his wrists didn't loosen one bit.

"I think I've seen enough." Cloud stated calmly and let him go. Naruto stepped from back from the tree and rubbed his sore wrists with a pout. Cloud simply jumped from the branch to land smoothly on the ground, but Naruto, feeling the need to save _some_ face, just strolled down the trunk instead.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

"That's a neat trick." Cloud smiled and Naruto felt a bit better.

"Thanks." He said and decided not to mention that he did the same thing when he stood on the bike, he was worried it might start up the fight again.

"Let me see your wrists." Cloud told him, noticing how Naruto was still rubbing them absentmindedly.

"It's okay, they're fine." He let him roll up his sleeves anyway.

"They'll probably bruise a little, sorry about that." Naruto waved off his concern.

"I'm a quick healer, don't worry about it." Cloud nodded, straightening up, and they made their way back to the motorcycle.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

"So do you believe me _now_?" Naruto asked as they crossed the tree-line.

"Yes, I believe you Naruto-"

"Awesome! So I get to stand up on the bike now, right?"

"No." Naruto stopped in his tracks.

"No? What do you _mean_ no? You said if I could pro-"

"No I didn't." Cloud interrupted and pushed the button to open the sword compartments. "I said I'd let you prove that you could stand safely on the bike or handle falling off of it- I never said you could actually _do_ it." He replaced the blade and turned to face the sputtering boy.

"But why? That's not fair; if you know I can do it then why can't I?" Cloud realized he had to intervene fast, before Naruto gained steam again.

"Because it distracts me when I'm driving. This whole area is one big forest and the ground is a lot more uneven than Fenrir was designed for."

"Fenrir?" Naruto asked and Cloud couldn't help the blush.

"It's the name of the bike." He mumbled.

"Cool. But I still don't get the problem?"

"Because the ground is so uneven I have to be careful and focus on the road, but I promise that you can try standing if we find a road that's flat and in the open. Okay?" Naruto pondered this for a moment, then sighed.

"Okay." He pouted.

Cloud chuckled and mounted his bike.

"You coming?" He asked and patted the seat behind him. Naruto got on behind him and fisted his hands in Cloud's shirt.

"Why don't you pick what's for dinner tonight." Cloud offered as he started Fenrir, quickly putting his riding goggles back into place. The young ninja immediately perked up.

"Ramen!"

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

* * *

_A/N: I decided to add a little scene at the start of chapter 6 and then this happened..._

_So, bonus chapter I guess and my first fight scene to boot! _

_I really need to know how you think I did, because bigger fight scenes are coming,_

_and I really don't want them to fall flat or something._

_Also be sure to send a grateful thought to Zarannya who says she does very little,_

_but manages to fix a lot :)  
_


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